Tony Hale & Ol Parker on Office Romance, Jennifer Lopez, and the Return of the Rom-Com

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[SPEAKER_02]: That's me Kyle Manit today going to be talking with director old Parker and actor Tony Hale about the new Netflix film called Office Romance starring Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein who also co-wrote it. [SPEAKER_02]: This is an office here. [SPEAKER_02]: Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein lead this charming and ranchy romantic comedy, LoPleta Lopez plays a powerful CEO and Goldstein is her airlines newest lawyer.

[SPEAKER_02]: Their secret office romance takes off when these two work a hollocks stop playing by the rules and start following their hearts. [SPEAKER_02]: uh... we're gonna get in this is so first we're gonna talk to old parker now all uh... the director you know his work he directed and wrote ticket to paradise imagine me and you momma me a here we go again the best exotic marigold hotel and Tony hell of course uh... arrested development vepe he's the voice of forkey in toy story uh... we saw him recently in uh... in sketch [SPEAKER_02]: But we'll start with Director Old Parker, who's going to discuss finding his lane in romantic comedies.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's made a great career out of that right there, balancing the big-hearted storytelling with the unexpectedly launching moments of this movie right here, something that he hasn't been able to do in a lot of his other movies. [SPEAKER_02]: And building a cast packed with scenes dealers, like Tony Hill, Betty Gilpin, Amy Sedaris, Bradley Wittford.

[SPEAKER_02]: So let's get into a part one of Office Romance. [SPEAKER_02]: It's Kyle Meredith with Old Parker. [SPEAKER_01]: Come Meredith with Consequence. [SPEAKER_01]: That's me, man. [SPEAKER_01]: How are you? [SPEAKER_01]: I'm happy to meet you. [SPEAKER_01]: How are you doing, man? [SPEAKER_01]: I'm doing all right.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's everything. [SPEAKER_02]: Uh, you know, coffee's kicking in. [SPEAKER_02]: I've come off just seeing a really fun movie of yours. [SPEAKER_01]: So did you just want to just watch it this morning? [SPEAKER_02]: No, I watched it Saturday. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_01]: How is it?

[SPEAKER_02]: You did well, so you don't worry about it anymore. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't worry. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to worry. [SPEAKER_01]: And where is my default? [SPEAKER_01]: It's my joke. [SPEAKER_01]: They've paid me not that much to worry. [SPEAKER_01]: That's why they've paid me the medium books.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's the medium book. [SPEAKER_02]: And you've got quite the reputation for knocking out movies at this point. [SPEAKER_02]: So I don't know if that's exactly true. [SPEAKER_01]: So can I know? [SPEAKER_01]: Is that what you're saying? [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, thanks. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no this.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I've been really lucky. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, let's talk about this office romance, I mean, you know, I'll actually back that up from what I was going to do because what you were saying because this does you do have this great history of movies these big hearted movies, I mean, that's sort of become one of your calling cards like where where does that come from if any place.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, I have a small and unhappy heart. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just, I'm just good at faking it, I think. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, it's just, I've been really lucky. [SPEAKER_01]: I've just, this is how, it seems, you know, this is how the mop was flopped for me. [SPEAKER_01]: This is where I've ended up.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, I just, I think I have a fundamentally optimistic worldview. [SPEAKER_01]: I think I'm incredibly confused and scared most of the time, and so I'd like to be in a world that's fairly certain, the nice thing about romantic comedies is, you know, the ending, it's the journey itself, it's fun, but the destination is pretty odd and joyous, hopefully, and both of those things seem helpful to me in this difficult world right now, and so when we don't know how things are going on.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the latter, I think, or somewhere between the two, I mean, I just, I don't really know. [SPEAKER_01]: I just found myself, yeah, to my slight surprise. [SPEAKER_01]: Like, oh, here we are. [SPEAKER_01]: This seems to be what I do, but I'm really happy. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you never know when you end a movie.

[SPEAKER_01]: You never know if they'll let you do it again. [SPEAKER_01]: Every movie feels like you're last. [SPEAKER_01]: And you should make every movie as if it is you last. [SPEAKER_01]: And enjoy it as if it was you last. [SPEAKER_01]: And so, but, yeah, so far, so, all right, I think. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, this one finds you linked up, of course, with Brett Goldstein.

[SPEAKER_02]: He co-wrote. [SPEAKER_02]: He also stars in it. [SPEAKER_02]: At what point did you come in on it? [SPEAKER_02]: Was the script written or anything or was written there? [SPEAKER_01]: And Jen was cast. [SPEAKER_01]: And so both Brett and Jen, and in the script, it says this part is to be played by English actor Brett Goldstein.

[SPEAKER_01]: So even if I didn't know already. [SPEAKER_01]: Big cities, yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And it was weird. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I've been kissing a couple of things I've done. [SPEAKER_01]: I've gone all right. [SPEAKER_01]: But I wrote them. [SPEAKER_01]: And so, the things that I was sent and only to rewrite and direct, it would be to do the thing that I do and then to make it mine.

[SPEAKER_01]: And this one, and it never really works for me. [SPEAKER_01]: I read them and go, yeah, it's not, it's great. [SPEAKER_01]: And sometimes it's great. [SPEAKER_01]: I just don't think there's anything I could bring to it. [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes I'm not great and there's nothing I can bring to it, but even when they're good it's like Yeah, that's just not what I would do and I was reading so I sent this and I'm really, you know Happy to read it as exciting.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Jen's genius and I love Brett's writing and Joe's writing and And then about halfway through. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean we're moved from being like this is great Someone should definitely make this and I can't wait to see this to thinking maybe I should have maybe the [SPEAKER_01]: And so then I talk to them, talk to the guys, and you know, got the gig.

[SPEAKER_01]: And there's nothing nice. [SPEAKER_01]: It turns out not writing is brilliant. [SPEAKER_01]: Suggesting seems to really good writers that then write really funny things. [SPEAKER_01]: I love to. [SPEAKER_01]: I just got to hang out. [SPEAKER_02]: It's a bit of the stress off, I guess. [SPEAKER_01]: That's amazing.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was just thinking of a scene where, or have you got a joke where this happens? [SPEAKER_01]: And then they'd come up with 10 brilliant jokes. [SPEAKER_01]: And so this is great. [SPEAKER_01]: I love this. [SPEAKER_02]: So how does that work then? [SPEAKER_02]: Because because you're you're sort of plugging into their vision, but I'm sure you have parts of your own, and you're also directing a writer star.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's a weird dynamic. [SPEAKER_01]: That's a weird dynamic and it could have been catastrophic. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, also they come from TV, where they're used to show running, as well, they have very strong opinions, and they get to the TV and TV, the writer's voice is louder than the director's.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so that could have been a challenge as well. [SPEAKER_01]: But I had fairly frank conversations with Brett beforehand, like, how's this going to go? [SPEAKER_01]: But it was clear, I think, really early on, that we got on really well for a start, which is the... [SPEAKER_01]: basis of everything, but also, you know, saw the movie, I think in very similar terms, and so, and then if we, you know, politely disagreed, then you figure it out, there's a middle way, or he'd be right, and I'd be wrong, and realized very quickly, his way was better.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, you just, but actually, and also, but I've got to say as an actor, he was incredibly, I was really touched, regularly by, he wrote the thing, and so he'd had it in his head, he'd heard it in his head, he'd said the lines for, I think, four years. [SPEAKER_01]: And so for me then to come and forget maybe try it this way, you know, he could just be like no, but he was always really opens Like, oh, okay, let's try it and you know sometimes if okay, I didn't realize there was that in it as well, you know, so we just got on great basically, which was so [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, we're watching him do it too.

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean he's his range that he's shown over the you know These past handful years that we've seen him He's absurd. [SPEAKER_01]: He's absurd. [SPEAKER_01]: He's like a quadruple threat. [SPEAKER_01]: He's a quintuple threat That's nothing. [SPEAKER_01]: He can't do and you know he's he's a yeah, he's amazing.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was a privilege [SPEAKER_02]: yeah well then of course there's there's Jennifer Lopez that's the other set as you mentioned like she was already written into it that you know it's been told they wrote it with her and mine luckily she said yes and everything and and she's got like you you know she's got her own history and it's like like like how much history walks in with her [SPEAKER_01]: I think Master's but that's part of the joy and part of how they wrote the script very consciously for her.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean there's a bit in the opening titles where she walks into the office and the whole everyone parts like the Red Sea. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, that's the sort of iconography of Jan. You know what I mean? [SPEAKER_01]: That's her on and off camera. [SPEAKER_01]: She kind of brings that with her.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so, and I think the script kind of played with that and then reveals as is true in life. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if you're going to talk to her in a bit that she's actually an absolute sweetheart. [SPEAKER_01]: She's really lovely and all that stuff is just [SPEAKER_01]: the noise around her, you know what I mean and so um so yes so she brings that I mean and again sort of the moment where she's at the window and he walks in and she turns and you know that again that sort of you're playing with the fact that it's Jennifer as well, you know, I mean the iconography of you know of Jailo which nobody calls her that no so she's just Jane [SPEAKER_01]: but there's like a whole other bit that we could sort of have fun with and then cheerfully, you know, peel the layers off and reveal that she's really funny, really sweet, really kind and really, you know, touching and just a good person.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: And the way you all drop, I mean, there's a little bit of ranching here too, and it's so surprising because, you know, you're talking about the scene, you know, the turnaround scene. [SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, this slow motion, everything, and there's Brett gobsmacked and everything, but by the end of that scene, to go ahead and say what happens here, like, do it's a boner.

[SPEAKER_01]: That was the shot when I read it the first, okay, they're going for it. [SPEAKER_01]: Again, I mean, it was something Chen was really up for, like it's pushes the envelope slightly for a Jennifer Lopez movie, you know, I mean, there's, I don't know if she's done an hour-rated comedy before, but she loved it, she was really keen to, it was hard-wired into the script from the beginning, you know, Brett, obviously I can't not swear at any given time, and so there was that there was plenty of rude words in the scene already.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, the challenge for me was to take that kind of runch or whatever the word is and still make a movie that didn't feel it was only that. [SPEAKER_01]: I wanted to make a movie that my parents would like, despite the fact that he gets a boner when they first shake hands and that was a train to kind of walk that tight rope was my challenge for the movie.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, and we'll be right back right after this. [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back, it's Kyle. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm here to the old Parker. [SPEAKER_02]: Was there a point? [SPEAKER_02]: Was there anything that went over the line? [SPEAKER_02]: Is there anything you couldn't go towards like that's too much?

[SPEAKER_01]: We shot things that were too, but yeah, but you're not quite sure. [SPEAKER_01]: You'd leave yourself options. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the first time they shook hands. [SPEAKER_01]: There was a shot of his face and it tilted down to a close-up. [SPEAKER_01]: And then, you know, in the air that you like tens out, actually it's better just to kind of hint it, you know.

[SPEAKER_01]: Show it vaguely, which even that, you know. [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, you're sort of, you give yourself choices. [SPEAKER_01]: And there was a more extreme version of the birth scene as well. [SPEAKER_02]: I got the bird scene that I was thinking of that because when you I was like, oh wow, oh yeah, well I mean, I thought it was so funny.

[SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was such a funny scene on the page But it's so extreme that I thought it needed to be shot in a way that kind of Matched the ludicrousness of the dialogue that they're having over best so um, yeah, but there's that there are plenty more extreme versions of of that That were available to us [SPEAKER_02]: see this is where I miss you know when when physical media ruled in everything and we had all the DVD extras because that's the stuff that I know that would be if we if we released that other thing then yeah then my friends probably wouldn't have liked it quite so much [SPEAKER_01]: Because you could cut things and go, it still exists.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like it's not right for the movie, but anyone that really loves the movie or that really wants to take a deeper dive, that thing still out there, that performance is out, that scene that so-and-so was really good in, that we had to cut because it didn't add to the story, but it's still nice to know that it's there in some form, even if a small percentage of the people that watch the movie are over going to find it, but it's there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's when you cut things now, it's a shame, and you feel, yeah, like, no one's ever going to see that, [SPEAKER_01]: because like theoretically like you could they could put it out on on on on YouTube or something like that, but I don't know that that whatever happens and I don't know that it should It's kind of slightly unmediated, you know, I mean whereas the DVD extras it's contained and controlled and so yeah, I wouldn't I would be uncomfortable putting a scene that I didn't use somewhere you know further out there, but yes, it's an odd thing and I miss it [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, I'll still go out and buy some every now and then.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't miss the DVD commentary, because whenever I did when I would just point out everything I had done wrong, I couldn't seem to help her. [SPEAKER_01]: It just really asked her, he's like, look at that, that's terrible. [SPEAKER_01]: People, I mean, I had no choice that. [SPEAKER_01]: I had no choice that terrible cut.

[SPEAKER_01]: Who would have never known that had you done? [SPEAKER_01]: No, I just couldn't, I can't, it's like Tourette's. [SPEAKER_01]: I can't help it. [SPEAKER_01]: So, yeah, I think it's probably better for the world that I don't get to do those anymore. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, let's hear about some of the other cast, too, because that was of course what was so surprising about this is you get all these great roles that are almost cameos for how quick they come and go and yet, you know, these humongous actors doing them really remind me of some of those [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, especially the the mad cap movies from the sixties how you just have sort of everybody regardless of the size of the role that was in it like how how did that happen?

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, we're talking I'm talking with Tony Haley here in a little bit, you know, Bradley Whitford is on it just on and on. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, he needs an interest. [SPEAKER_01]: It's insane. [SPEAKER_01]: It's a real thrill about like 35 minutes into movie. [SPEAKER_01]: That's a doing behind the doors Tony Haley and you like, oh, it's a deep bench and then Amy Sedaris comes in about 50 minutes into movie like you're kidding me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's three things. [SPEAKER_01]: One is Jen. [SPEAKER_01]: I think they've really keen to work with her. [SPEAKER_01]: Two, I think, is a testament to the brilliant writing. [SPEAKER_01]: Is that even though they're small parts, they've all got something to do. [SPEAKER_01]: Then there's not just taken the cash, which I'm sure they got paid, but I don't think it was enough to justify.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think they will have something to do, they will have something to play. [SPEAKER_01]: And three is it becomes kind of self-fulfilling? [SPEAKER_01]: I think if you start to get two or three of those, I mean, for example, we had Betty and her and Brad are really good friends, and so that helped and people really respect her as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think when the agents call up and go, so it's interesting, it's interesting, it's interesting, you know, at the almost as in it, and Tony Hales in it, and then I think it starts to become self-fulfilling. [SPEAKER_01]: And then people, oh, I should be part of this, [SPEAKER_02]: They just say yes, like whatever the role is.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, if we actually feel like it should be, then they might call her as you go. [SPEAKER_01]: It's a bit small and they go right, but Brad Whitford's doing two pages. [SPEAKER_01]: And they're like, okay, okay, I mean. [SPEAKER_01]: So no, I mean, you know, bless for me. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I got incredibly lucky, obviously.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, any tips for a Tony Hell later, which I was so happy, you know, speaking of, you know, maybe we don't get DVD extras, but we still get the credit stuff. [SPEAKER_01]: I know, that wasn't that great. [SPEAKER_01]: Um, that was because we felt the endings, I thought the ending tips slightly more into Romland Com, that's a couple of really good laughs in it, but it felt, and so I just thought we needed to kind of remind the audience that we were a bit rude to, then, you know, just to kind of go back slightly.

[SPEAKER_01]: into the orated stuff and so and so I pitched that I think to the writers who flew you know that was Yeah, so that was a good day Tony's nice man. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, do you have a lovely time? [SPEAKER_02]: He's literally I love talking with him and I love seeing just that anxiousness that he brings in those characters You know, he's actually really chilled and nice and calm, but he's there's none better at playing pain [SPEAKER_01]: We had a whole scene of him talking to DVD extras that you would love where he got up and left and went to the bathroom during the final scene because he was in such agony.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we shot a whole scene of him, we just met him in the bathroom and the cameraman and me getting it right now climb in the sink and now lay under the sink, you know, now do a headstand against the wall and we were just cracking up and we were just do all that is amazing and no one will ever see it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Which is a shame. [SPEAKER_02]: You hear that Netflix? [SPEAKER_02]: We need the first one. [SPEAKER_02]: I know. [SPEAKER_01]: Believe me. [SPEAKER_01]: I'll beg them. [SPEAKER_01]: We should also hit on just the what the office dynamic affords you for a story like this because I mean it has that built-in culture Any most office has that I mean that must have been fun to play around in it was great I mean one of the things I loved about the scriptures that every every room calm needs an obstacle and now days those things are slightly eroding races no longer an obstacle classes and money isn't so much You know, I mean and so you're always looking for a reason that characters can't get together

[SPEAKER_01]: there's beyond just the character's own hesitation, especially if the age of our characters, because you just feel like, oh, just tell her, just kiss her. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, there's much less kind of disliked me to seem, you know, they can't really do those things. [SPEAKER_01]: Jennifer's in her 50s, perhaps nearly there, you know what I mean?

[SPEAKER_01]: You just say the thing, just tell her. [SPEAKER_01]: And so they need an obstacle to prevent them getting together. [SPEAKER_01]: And so I thought that was a brilliant thing in the script. [SPEAKER_01]: I thought that was incredibly successful. [SPEAKER_01]: And while we were shooting the Coldplay Kiss Camera happened and it was like, oh, that's the movie that we're making.

[SPEAKER_01]: But also, yeah, it's a brilliant place to hang, and we were really lucky to find that building. [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, I need it, like, I think it's not the over a third of the movie, it's going to be in the building, and so you're looking for a somewhere that you can shoot that's going to be interesting and have stay well, and, you know, you don't want to just get bored of the same.

[SPEAKER_01]: full walls, you know what I mean. [SPEAKER_01]: But again, it was really nice to shoot. [SPEAKER_01]: They're into take it over. [SPEAKER_01]: That was our production officer as well, so we could just hang out there. [SPEAKER_01]: And he gives you a chance to cast loads of more brilliant people, just hanging around in the background.

[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, it was a really happy place. [SPEAKER_01]: I went there the other day, just to go and hum, pay homage, it was lovely too. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, where was the office? [SPEAKER_02]: Because I know there's some shots in Jersey. [SPEAKER_02]: It was in Jersey. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we sure, almost entirely in Jersey.

[SPEAKER_01]: Then we went to the men company for a week at the end, which was a party. [SPEAKER_02]: But that's got to be nice too. [SPEAKER_02]: It's like, oh, you know, we could write something in here. [SPEAKER_02]: That was me. [SPEAKER_01]: That was really the original draft, the original script.

[SPEAKER_01]: They flew to Vancouver for the night and went to a hotel room. [SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, I seem to be, that's my third movie, no, that's just travel porn. [SPEAKER_01]: I can't seem to help it. [SPEAKER_01]: And it's obviously just a chance for me to go somewhere and hang out on a beach.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I managed to persuade people that we needed dramatically. [SPEAKER_01]: That's what I do. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, if you build it, they will come. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's my plan. [SPEAKER_01]: I just tell them we need a beach and then I find myself on a beach. [SPEAKER_01]: It's great.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's nice. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you know, bring it back around a little bit too because, you know, we were talking about wrong comes at the beginning of everything. [SPEAKER_02]: And they're always sort of there. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, maybe not in mass or everything, but it feels maybe that we're in a new era.

[SPEAKER_02]: And again, maybe that's what you were talking about. [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe that's the environment outside and what people, you know, are looking for. [SPEAKER_02]: But you're on the inside, are you seeing that at all? [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, it feels more possible to make them than it did.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it was taken to paradise, it was made to it, almost exclusively because of the enormity and glamour of the two leads. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I mean, it was very hard to get it made. [SPEAKER_01]: It would have been very hard to get it made. [SPEAKER_01]: I actually, like Brighton, Jen, I'd written to George and Julian, so I'm not making this without you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so, luckily, they said yes, but it would have been very hard to get it made with someone else. [SPEAKER_01]: But I think hopefully that's changing and again, I think it speaks to the uncertainty of our times that people want happiness and joy. [SPEAKER_01]: Also, I think if you're going to the movies and I know this is Netflix, but if you're even turning something on, it's got to be, there's a lot of pulls on our attention these days and so you've got to find something and there's something clearly identifiable about a rom-com.

[SPEAKER_01]: You just know what it is, you know what it's going to be and you hope it's going to be good. [SPEAKER_01]: And that's nice thing, just to look at the little box on the thing, yeah, I know what that is. [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm going to enjoy this as hopefully, as a happy thing. [SPEAKER_01]: But now I'm really lucky to be part of its slight resurgence, I think.

[SPEAKER_02]: I keep you working. [SPEAKER_02]: You know what? [SPEAKER_01]: Well, every movie you may think is going to be the last one. [SPEAKER_01]: And so you'll never show that they'll let you do it again. [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, so far, I've got lucky. [SPEAKER_02]: That is, man. [SPEAKER_02]: You just mentioned, of course, Julia and George and I'm looking at the other stuff, I mean, Cher, Merrill, Colin Firth, Pierce, Bros. And a sort of wrap up with this idea, too, because with Jennifer Lopez on top of that, and Brett, like you had, you know, and this is no discredit to any of the other actors that you've worked with, but when you're working at that level and seeing people work at that level, like, are you like, what do they bring?

[SPEAKER_02]: that can't be written into the script. [SPEAKER_01]: If they bring history with them, they bring the iconography of them. [SPEAKER_01]: I think if there's a connection, I don't really, as you could probably tell, think about my work too much detail or with too much interest. [SPEAKER_01]: But if there's a link to it, I think I'm just a fan.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I just think what they do is amazing and what I try and write and what I try and direct is just to kind of go look at these people on their amazing. [SPEAKER_01]: and just to kind of stand back and be ordered by them. [SPEAKER_01]: And so I did it, my God, I tell, I wrote those movies and it's just me again, look at Judy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And she's incredible. [SPEAKER_01]: Look at Maggie's face, look at her. [SPEAKER_01]: And you can't fake that stuff and so they did, and those movies, as soon as someone comes in, you just know them. [SPEAKER_01]: There's no them immediately to take it apart as functioned on the shared history of George and Julia.

[SPEAKER_01]: They play a divorce couple and it's much easier to play that because you know and you so want to get them to get together because you know how real their friendship is and you've seen them on the screen. [SPEAKER_01]: And off so many times. [SPEAKER_01]: And with Jen again, we could play with her genus like I was saying, but yeah, they're just immediately I mean, they're brilliant at what they do and they're also genuinely really nice.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's a reason they're still at the top is that people want to work with them And so, um, yeah, it's nothing but easy for me and nothing for joy even when they're, you know, it's slightly tricky That's kind of brilliant as well [SPEAKER_01]: Because, you know, she has meant to be tricky.

[SPEAKER_01]: She's great, but she wouldn't be sure she wasn't a bit tricky, do you know what I mean? [SPEAKER_01]: And that's, you know, that's part of the brilliance of her. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, you make them look good. [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you. [SPEAKER_02]: They make me look good. [SPEAKER_01]: They make me look good.

[SPEAKER_01]: It really goes that way right. [SPEAKER_02]: Too waste-free. [SPEAKER_02]: I know how that works. [SPEAKER_02]: It really is. [SPEAKER_02]: Sir's like, he grabs on officer immense. [SPEAKER_02]: It really wasn't such a fun watch. [SPEAKER_02]: And it was great to get the talk to you about it too.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would love to meet you, man. [SPEAKER_01]: Take care. [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll be right back, greater to this. [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome back, it's Kyle Mere, we're talking office romance on Netflix, and now turn the mic over to Tony Hale, who's going to talk about the moment he realized the Tony Hale type had become an actual casting description.

[SPEAKER_02]: Really happened. [SPEAKER_02]: We'll talk about how childhood, anxiety, help shape some of his most memorable characters and the deleted bathroom meltdown scene that I was just talking with the old about that never made the final cuts. [SPEAKER_02]: Part two is we talk about office romance on Netflix.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's Kyle Meredith with Tony Hale. [SPEAKER_03]: Dude, what a great wall. [SPEAKER_03]: What a great wall. [SPEAKER_03]: Does all the heavy lifting for me, man? [SPEAKER_03]: It's so good. [SPEAKER_03]: Friends is right there in the middle. [SPEAKER_02]: Friends, Bowie, REM, you know, I don't know, to make me feel more powerful.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know what it is. [SPEAKER_02]: It's so good. [SPEAKER_02]: So good. [SPEAKER_02]: Man, it's good to see you again. [SPEAKER_02]: And it's great to see you in this movie, office romance. [SPEAKER_02]: This character you got is such a fun character. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, he's a piece of work and he's got a lot going on.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so that's the thing, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Like this could have been a small part that you have made so big. [SPEAKER_02]: And I could say that about so many moments of this film that it's done so well. [SPEAKER_02]: Of course, Co-written by Brett Goldstein, who also gets a star in it, what was this world that you were presented with?

[SPEAKER_02]: Like how much of that was on the page? [SPEAKER_02]: And how much did you bring the Tony Hell Lane in on it? [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean there was they obviously wrote a very funny script and that's always because me when you have like Jennifer Lopez bread goldstein Betty Gilpin it's like oh that this is going to be fun of course I'd love to do it and then you see the script and it's like it's got and I saw the premiere last week it's really funny like really strong jokes and so then you're like oh [SPEAKER_03]: This is funny, and now I can play some more and cover the ideas and improv and all the director who's so fantastic was just open to it.

[SPEAKER_03]: He was like, yeah, let's give me your ideas. [SPEAKER_03]: Just go with it. [SPEAKER_03]: Go with it. [SPEAKER_03]: And you're like, okay, that's the equation that helps a good comedy. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it was a talk with the old men to go about some of the stuff on here and and it's like of course we're talking about you and just what you bring into it because because your natural self is quite different from these iconic characters that you know for but you're so good at bringing this anxiety in it I think the line I wrote down was you're so good at characters who are trying desperately to keep order while the whole building is on fire.

[SPEAKER_02]: But that seems to me. [SPEAKER_02]: No, you're of my life. [SPEAKER_02]: Why do these keep fighting you? [SPEAKER_02]: I guess I should say. [SPEAKER_03]: Co-dependency is my part of my, um, it was, like, I was, if I really think if I'm really honest about it, like, I was an anxious kid.

[SPEAKER_03]: I had dealt with a lot of stuff and it's kind of cool how. [SPEAKER_03]: You know, God takes stuff you got through and kind of brings it later in life. [SPEAKER_03]: And I'm able to, I mean, look at Buster, look at Gary, look at this, like, even forky from Toy Story. [SPEAKER_03]: It's fun to be able to use stuff that was maybe hard to go through for, like, you know, fun projects.

[SPEAKER_02]: Take the bad parts and make it better. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, why not? [SPEAKER_02]: It's to Beatles lyric in there, wasn't there? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, you should know. [SPEAKER_02]: Take a said song and make it better. [SPEAKER_02]: That was it. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, did you find that there was a point where people did start going, oh, we want, we want the Tony Helf thing.

[SPEAKER_03]: There was a, I mean, it's nice because like, what's nice is I'm able to do like I did this movie called Sketch, which is a real passion probably moving. [SPEAKER_03]: Thank you. [SPEAKER_03]: And so it's nice to be able to do some it's a little closer to me stuff like that. [SPEAKER_03]: But I will say, a friend of mine was doing a commercial edition here and there was a really neurotic character and the description was a Tony Hale type and I was like, okay.

[SPEAKER_02]: now is now it's an ink now it's a print out there like it's a it's a girly Lewis thing you know just that you can use that right yeah you get minted as the thing so so you do get to play along with this and we're talking about this incredible lineup that you get to play around with it everything including the stars I mean let's hear about working with Jennifer Lopez because here's somebody who does bring some rom-com energy into the into the room [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_03]: And she also is so comfortable in it. [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, obviously because of her history, having done made him Manhattan and all the others. [SPEAKER_03]: And it's like, she knows that world. [SPEAKER_03]: She also lets herself be silly. [SPEAKER_03]: A lot of people won't let themselves be silly.

[SPEAKER_03]: She allows herself to be silly. [SPEAKER_03]: And that's when it with comedy, you're signing up. [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, look what Betty did in this movie. [SPEAKER_03]: You're just kind of, you're signing up to kind of like, go there. [SPEAKER_03]: And just kind of make a fool yourself and Jennifer and Brett were totally open to that, not be too precious about stuff, and that's I think that's a huge key to comedy.

[SPEAKER_02]: Were you around for any of that birthing scene? [SPEAKER_02]: I was not. [SPEAKER_02]: I was that was, but you see it on the screen for the first time. [SPEAKER_03]: I saw it on the screen for the first time. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, me and the whole audience. [SPEAKER_02]: It's incredible. [SPEAKER_02]: It's incredible to stuff that, you know, because it's a rom-com, but of course there's, you know, they use the word, there's a little bit of ronch that goes down.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: And finding that line. [SPEAKER_02]: When I was talking with Old Parker Minner to go, we were talking about some of the cut scenes that you were in in the bathroom. [SPEAKER_03]: Like, oh, yeah, I never saw those. [SPEAKER_02]: No, we're not, we're none of us have saw it.

[SPEAKER_02]: We were talking about the lack of DVD extras these days with no physical media because we would see that stuff. [SPEAKER_02]: Like, like what went on in the bathroom because that really sounds fun too. [SPEAKER_03]: I think at one point I was standing on the sink, screaming at myself in the mirror.

[SPEAKER_03]: had water all over my body. [SPEAKER_03]: At one point, I was in a headstand against the wall, screaming. [SPEAKER_03]: At one point, I was lying face down underneath the sink screaming. [SPEAKER_03]: So I think I just went crazy. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, crazy in the bathroom. [SPEAKER_02]: And that's just one of those things like, let's try this.

[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I think while I was at that time, the ending, she was saying something obviously that was upsetting to me and I went into the bathroom and just lost it and lost it. [SPEAKER_03]: He said he said it just go for it and I like lost it. [SPEAKER_02]: I do hope that somehow we get to know that would be I'd like to see it too.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, but you do, you do get the credit scenes, which is, which is really good. [SPEAKER_02]: Because that's something similar because, you know, it's watching your reactions, which I think is some of the best parts of that. [SPEAKER_02]: It allows that character to be so much more. [SPEAKER_03]: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and that is, I mean, I selfishly love to see the post credit scenes.

[SPEAKER_03]: I love the bloop. [SPEAKER_03]: When ever, at any time they had like bloopers and stuff like that on a movie, I was like, oh, [SPEAKER_03]: Because to me, the Carol Burnett bloopers is my favorite thing to watch on YouTube, so I always like seeing people mess up and whether it be that or something else to be a part of that post credit scene is like, oh, that was always the exciting part for me.

[SPEAKER_02]: So you just get it again, get the play around with it. [SPEAKER_02]: Everybody say just the most crazy things and yeah, yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: But it's an office environment. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that you get to play around with. [SPEAKER_02]: What is it, normality under fluorescent lights?

[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, again, I think so much was written on the fluorescent lights. [SPEAKER_03]: I might add, like, it's that harsh, harsh fluorescent light. [SPEAKER_03]: That office lighting, hey, oh. [SPEAKER_02]: But like, I guess that's the question, you know, beyond just what was written there?

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, what did you get to bring to this guy? [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, I, [SPEAKER_03]: I think a lot, what's fun for me is Bob Newhart is a huge idol of mine, like I just loved Bob Newhart. [SPEAKER_03]: And he would sometimes just stare and you could see the tension in his face. [SPEAKER_03]: And it was so funny to me.

[SPEAKER_03]: And this character, he, there's so much coming at him and he can just sit in his tension and sit in his anxiety. [SPEAKER_03]: And I hopefully it's funny. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, there's a full story in this guy, and there probably is with several of the people here, but there's a real full, like I'd watch it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I need that movie. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, sure, great. [SPEAKER_03]: Let's have a sequel, George. [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, let's have this sequel. [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, obviously got a relationship at the end. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: Where do you know's where that's going to go? [SPEAKER_03]: That's true.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's true. [SPEAKER_02]: It's fun stuff. [SPEAKER_02]: It's always fun getting to see what you're doing out there. [SPEAKER_03]: And, uh, thanks, man. [SPEAKER_02]: We're going to get to see in Toy Story 5 as well. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, here you in Toy Story 5 isn't it? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_03]: I know I get to see it today. [SPEAKER_03]: Is it right? [SPEAKER_03]: I haven't seen it yet because since we're doing some press next week, I get to see it today. [SPEAKER_03]: So I'm excited. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, what a special thing to still get my advice. [SPEAKER_03]: You kidding? [SPEAKER_03]: And that's a party I never thought I'd be invited to.

[SPEAKER_03]: So I'm super excited about it. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I can't wait to see that one. [SPEAKER_02]: In the meantime, with with office romance and getting to see you in this, it's always great talking to you about it as well. [SPEAKER_03]: So thanks, man. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, thanks so much again for taking the time.

[SPEAKER_03]: Nice to see you again, dude. [SPEAKER_03]: You too, we'll see you around. [SPEAKER_03]: All right, see you. [SPEAKER_02]: And my thanks to Tony Hale and Old Parker, Officer Oman is playing now on Netflix. [SPEAKER_02]: Thanks to you for checking out the episode. [SPEAKER_02]: Do hit that subscribe button before you get out of here to keep up with all the interviews that we put out every single week.

[SPEAKER_02]: And Spotify, Apple Podcast, NPR, WFPK.org, Consequence, YouTube for the video versions or anywhere. [SPEAKER_02]: You get your podcasts from. [SPEAKER_02]: You can subscribe to Kyle Meredith with. [SPEAKER_02]: Please to give this series a rating, leave a review, wherever you're listening from.

[SPEAKER_02]: After that, you can head over to wfpk.org. [SPEAKER_02]: Where I do a show Monday through Friday, starting at 6pm Eastern, it's four hours of classic alternative and indie americano. [SPEAKER_02]: You get the best in new music. [SPEAKER_02]: bonus interviews, lots of music and film news as well.

[SPEAKER_02]: In fact, one of my recent shows featured some classics and favorites from Otis Redding, Emilew Harris, Katie Lange, Ricky Lee, Jones, more Chiba, the Slitz, Alice Merton, Canon, Radio ahead. [SPEAKER_02]: Palmyra, Alabama Shakes, Ella Fitzgerald, Brother Wallace, Def Cap for a cutie, Ultra Tone, Lucy Dacus, and my interviews with Brandy Carlisle, Rosanne Cash, Adina Mazzel, Beach House, John Fogardy, Ian Hunter, Christopher Miller, Ted McGinley, Beba Dooby, that's what you can get when you tune in.

[SPEAKER_02]: Now, weeknight, starting 6pm Eastern at wfpk.org. [SPEAKER_02]: Consequence as your music and film news you can also find me on any of the social media sites The address is always at Kyle Meredith like follow along. [SPEAKER_02]: That does it for another edition I'm Kyle Meredith. [SPEAKER_02]: I'll see you next time [SPEAKER_00]: Consequence podcast network, it's easy to hear your favorite artist on WFPK from wherever you are.

[SPEAKER_00]: Listen on your smart speaker, live stream from our website at WFPK.org from Louisville Public Media.

Tony Hale & Ol Parker on Office Romance, Jennifer Lopez, and the Return of the Rom-Com

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